Kelce: Chiefs have 'every piece' needed to be great

Travis Kelce says the Kansas City Chiefs' issues at wide receiver aren't the reason the reigning Super Bowl champions haven't been firing on all cylinders this season.

"This team has every piece that it needs to be great," the All-Pro tight end said Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. "Everybody can talk about whatever they want to talk about."

Kelce added: "I know that we've got a team that can put points up, and I know we've got the coaches to be able to put us in the great positions to succeed, and that's where we're moving going forward, and it just takes guys to lock in and just be ready for those big-time moments when we need them most."

Kansas City boasted the league's highest-scoring offense in 2022 en route to winning the second Super Bowl title of the Patrick Mahomes era. However, the Chiefs rank only 12th in points per game in 2023.

The wide receiver position has been K.C.'s biggest issue. The club has dropped 18 passes this year, the most in the NFL, according to STATS. Second-round rookie Rashee Rice leads Kansas City wide receivers with 30 receptions in eight games. No other Chiefs wideout has caught more than 19 passes or scored more than one touchdown.

Despite missing the season opener with a knee injury, Kelce paces the team with 54 receptions for 583 yards and four TD catches.

The Chiefs, who're coming off a loss to the Denver Broncos, have also suffered 16 turnovers this campaign, tied for the second most in the NFL.

"The biggest thing for us is being able to control those turnovers, being able to control the dropped passes," Kelce said. "There's a few missed assignments, and I take accountability in all this, and I think everybody in that locker room on the offensive side has taken that same approach this week."

The Chiefs will now face the Miami Dolphins, who roster arguably the NFL's most dominant receiver in Tyreek Hill. It'll be K.C.'s first game against Hill since the club traded him during the 2022 offseason.

Hill leads the NFL with 1,014 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Kansas City's top three wide receivers have recorded a combined 849 yards and four touchdowns this year.